I consider the Song Dynasty as the beginning modern China mainly because of the achievements accomplished in that era. The Song Dynasty lasted between 960-1279, and numerous advancements in technology characterized it (Twitchett, 2008). The dynasty existed along with the Liao Dynasty in the northeast as well as the Western Xia Dynasty. The Song Dynasty had to eras of the Northern Song and the Southern Song. In this empire, there was unprecedented growth in the economy and industrial advances. The scientific knowledge in the Song Dynasty advanced faster than in the other eras and such included invention of the movable type printing, and this enhanced the literacy and development of the culture (Twitchett, 2008). Additionally, in the same period, there was an invention of the gunpowder which they used in warding off their militant rivals. The other achievement was that in the Song Dynasty managed to measure distance and carry out mechanical navigations that helped them in traveling in their vehicles. Shen Kuo and Su Song came up with the idea of magnetic declination that helped in creating a compass. In turn, this helped in creating astronomical clock tower. One of their most significant inventions was a nautical innovation (Dudbridge & Wang, 2013). This introduced the compass used in the magnetic mariner that enhanced accurate navigation in the ocean. The era saw advancements in structural engineering and architecture that led to the erection of a sophisticated building that challenges the modern standards of construction (Dudbridge & Wang, 2013). It is thus evident that most of the inventions present in the contemporary China began during the Song Dynasty. In this era, some of the most significant steps in technology that spread to other culture originated from the Song Dynasty in China and the emperors who ruled the two kingdoms.
References
Dudbridge, G., & Wang, R. (2013). A portrait of five dynasties China . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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Twitchett, D. (2008). The Cambridge history of China . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
